The proposed experiments focus on studies of patterns of stimulus evoked activity in somatosensory cortex (SI), and in particular, on the activation patterns evoked by repetitive skin stimulation. In the 01 year, animal experiments using the C14-2DG metabolic mapping method (2DG) and the infrared optical recording method for imaging intrinsic cortical signals (IR imaging) will be performed. The goal is to obtain and compare IR and 2DG images of the cortical response to the same stimulus conditions. In years 02-05, the IR optical recording technique will be employed to characterize the effects on stimulus evoked SI activity patterns of (i) NMDA receptor block, (ii) different frequencies of vibrotactile stimulation, and (iii) differing spatiotemporal patterns of skin stimulation. It is anticipated that the proposed studies will provide novel and useful information about the consequences of stimulus- evoked interactions among the multiple and spatially distributed neuronal populations activated by cutaneous stimuli. The information to be obtained should fill major gaps in what is currently known about the somatosensory cortical response to skin stimulation-gaps attributable principally to inadequacies of the methodologies which, at least to date, have been emphasized by experiments. In addition, the findings should provide direction to ongoing modeling and simulation studies of stimulus- directed somatosensory cortical network dynamics and the underlying neural mechanisms.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS)
Type
First Independent Research Support & Transition (FIRST) Awards (R29)
Project #
5R29NS032358-04
Application #
2609657
Study Section
Special Emphasis Panel (ZRG1-CMS (04))
Program Officer
Baughman, Robert W
Project Start
1994-12-01
Project End
1999-11-30
Budget Start
1997-12-01
Budget End
1998-11-30
Support Year
4
Fiscal Year
1998
Total Cost
Indirect Cost
Name
University of North Carolina Chapel Hill
Department
Biomedical Engineering
Type
Schools of Medicine
DUNS #
078861598
City
Chapel Hill
State
NC
Country
United States
Zip Code
27599
Tommerdahl, M; Whitsel, B L; Favorov, O V et al. (1999) Responses of contralateral SI and SII in cat to same-site cutaneous flutter versus vibration. J Neurophysiol 82:1982-92
Tommerdahl, M; Delemos, K A; Favorov, O V et al. (1998) Response of anterior parietal cortex to different modes of same-site skin stimulation. J Neurophysiol 80:3272-83
Tommerdahl, M; Delemos, K A; Vierck Jr, C J et al. (1996) Anterior parietal cortical response to tactile and skin-heating stimuli applied to the same skin site. J Neurophysiol 75:2662-70